Method of soldering chains, chainmesh or the like



Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORG BRUNHITBNER, OFPIORZHEIIVI, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO ERNST GIDEON IBEK, OF

PFORZHEIM, GERMANY METHOD OF SOLDERING CHAINS, CHAINMESH OR THE LIKE IoDrawing. Application filed March 13, 1928, Serial No. 261,695, and inGermany March 17, 1927.. v

The uniting of the joints of chains, rings, chainmail or similararticles, has hitherto generally been done by soldering. In theoperation of soldering, a flux, together with solder-metal orsoldermetal alloys, are used which must be suited in each case to themetal to be soldered, in order that they may undergo a combination withthe same.

For the reasons stated a great number of different solder-alloys arerequired, the preparation of which is difficult and complicated andrequiresgreat skill and causes great expense, and frequently such alloyscannot be successfully used.

It is generally recognized in this art that the oil used in the chainmachine which sticks to the chains as a film on their surface preventssoldering. Such oil is also inside the joints. The solder core chain ofsuch solid wire chains must first be very carefully cleaned of allmachine oil, dirt, fat and oxides, then they must be boiled in a flux,such as borax or the like, then the l nks must be broken, then the chainmust be dipped in a sticky solution, such. as resin solved inv alcohol,and then it must be rubbed with powdered graphite until it becomescovered with it all over. Then the chain is soldered in a solderingmachine.

-By the method forming the subject-matter of the present invention theforegoing and other objections to prior methods are obviated, as eitherno solder-metals are required to weld together the metals to be unitedor cheap metals only need be used.

In the first case the means consist of nonmetallic elementary substancesor combinations of the same which have a reducing effect. Combinationsof non-metallic elementary substances may also be mixed with oxides.These means are admixed with liquid-media, for instance water, oil andthe like, and applied at the solderingor weldmetal-solders in the stateof finest powder can be used when metals or metal-alloys are to beunited the soldering of which is specially difficult, as for instancealloys containing aluminium or alloys containing platinum. Ascombinations of non-metallic elementary substances, carbides andsilicides, and as nonmetallic elementary substanges non-poisonous redphosphorus are, for instance, well adapted for use. A suitable oxide isfor instance, silicic acid or ground quartz (SiO The mixture ofnon-metallic elementary substances, for instance red phosphorus admixedwith oil or water mentioned in the first case, are especially suitablefor 8 carat gold and gold-plated metal, also for a goldcopper alloy orfor a copper-zinc-alloy with gold plating or for t'ombac and copper. Acombination as in the second. case, in which reducing elementarysubstances or the combinations of the same, the one with the other, withmetal dust, for instance red phosphorus, oil, zinc-dust and a pure flux,like borax, are mixed together, is specially adapted for silvercontaining metals.

The uniting 0f the solder-joints is mainly obtained in the first case inthat by reduction of the oxides existing on the joint-faces, a localsoftening is produced on and in the alloy for their union, as inwelding.As a reducing like elementary substance, like phosphorus is veryeflicient as a small quantity of the same aids in the softening anduniting, specially when the heating is only short.

One feature of the invention is the use of finely powdered redphosphorus or its equivalents as an element of a soldering compositioncontaining the other compounds also in a finely powdered state with orwithout additions of metallic powders.

The action of the'phosphorus is manifold. By its burnin in the solderingprocess the oil which stic s to the chain is burned up without residue,a great momentary and effective heat is produced, oxides occurring atand around the metal surfaces and joints are reduced, alloys are formedof the phosphorus and the metal of the goods and/or such metals whichare admixed in a finely powdered state. The red phosphorus functionsground quartz the silicium, i. e. a second less I volatile reductionmeans.

The mixtures mentioned in the second case of non-metallic elementarysubstances or combinations of such substances with powderedmetallic-additions as zinc-dust or the like, with a suitable flux, haveroved satisfactory, specially for silver an alpaca. In this case' astronger connection of the metaljoints to be united is obtained as themixture of copper, brass, zinc or other metal-dust, and reducingnon-metallic elementary substance, such as red phosphorus, causes araising of the temperature to a particularly high degree at thesoldering point and during the soldering moment, so as to effect themelting together of the materials in a manner substantially differentfrom ordinary soldering and which Welds the metals without compression.The metal-dust is, on the one hand, a heat transmission agent in thereducing-action of phosphorus on silver and alpaca and,

on the other hand, it has a solder-forming ac-- tion at the heating, asit forms together with metals from the material to be soldered ametal-mixture melting at a slightly lower temperature. dust alone assolder would not have a suflicient-ly great uniting effect, as duringthe heating portions of nickel, copper and zinc from the alpaca-alloywould not enter in substantial quantity into alloy with the zincdust. I

With the aid of the non-metallic elementary substances mentioned, it isfurther possible to favorably influence the degree of hardness of themetal to be soldered of welded. When, for'instance the material to besoldered or welded is already provided with soldering or welding means,and carborundum to which a little boric-acid may be added is thenapplied to the material and the so coated material then shaken in asuitable receptacle, the amount of solder or welding material in excessof that required is removed and there remains a mixture of carborundumand acid with a sufiicient amount only of the welding means (phosphorus,oil) to soften the material to the degree desired. Thiscarborundum-mixture is placed by more precise treatment in the regionvofthe solder-point, in order to obtain that the hardness of the materialof the article to be soldered or welded will be preserved,

For alpaca for instance zinc and the softening produced only in thejoint, in in order to obtain the best possible metalliccombination foruse in soldering and for durability of the article. The carborundumpresents further the advanta e that, for instance in connected singlelin s, stiff-solderings are avoided." This substance exerts especiallyin a mixture with boric-acid, on-the one hand,- an oxidation-preventingeffect upon the surface of the metals to be united, specially upon thejoints, and prevents on the other hand, notwithstanding the presence ofthe boric-acid, stiff soldering by reason of the fact that at thetemperature necessary for the welding it exerts a less softening effectthan the phosphorus which is between the joints.

The moist soldering or welding mean-s can be easily applied on thesolder-points. In the -manufacturing of chains or chainmail thesolder-means can be appled by the same machine by which the chain orchainmail is produced. The goods to be soldered or welded might howeverbe dipped into the pasty mixture, and the solder or welding means inexcess then removed by scouring, the necessary quantity for thesoldering action remaining at the solder point. In certain cases shakingwith the slightly moistened solder and welding means is sufficientto'remove the excess material.

After the dipping the addition means (water, oil or the like) in excesscan be removed by centrifugal action, the material being subsequentlyscoured with dry powdered soldering or welding means.

The addition substance may also be applied by the chainor chainmail-producing machine, prior to or during the treatment of the wirethereby.

A further advantage of this mixing of nonmetallic elementary substanceswith powdered metallic additions results from the circumstance that onthe wire ends or joints to be soldered or welded gaps are formed owingto the irregular feeding of the wires by the ring-forming machine or bywearing of machine elements. Such gaps cannot'be bridged by non-metallicelementary substances alone, as they volatilize or burn under the actionof heat.

The gaps may, however, be filled with powdered metallic additions priorto the soldering and the wire ends may be connected the one with theother at the soldering by a metallic filler in the gap.

Hitherto no soldering or welding process has become known which makes itpossible to bridge gaps at .the solderand welding points. The two wireends had either to be strongly pressed the one against the other orsolder, inserted between the wire ends, had to be held between the wireends by the pressure exerted on the same. It is. difiicult to viscous orthin liquid, pasty or merely I .quently;

carry out this process even with a machine working with maximumprecision.

All rings or chain-links having such gaps caused miss soldering tohappen so frethat only very short pieces of chain could e produced,which had to be joined subsequently byinserting and solderingintermediate-links by hand, this being however rather expensive.

The use of liquids, like water, oil, liquid flux means and the like,serves to bring the non-metallic elementary substances, or me-' tallicadmixtures whenthey are used, into a pasty or viscous state. The soldersubstances in this state flow into all fissures and gaps of the joint orsolder point and stick on the metal to be soldered. It is unimportant inthis connection whether the solder point presents a gap or whether thewire endsto be soldered are strongly pressed the one against the other.In the latter case any excess quantity of solder substances will flowover the whole wire surface, after the material has been heatedtosoldering heat, thus preventing a lumpy formation at the joint.

The adhering of the solder substance on the solder point can be obtainedalso by slightly moistening the solder material with liquid substanceswhich are inherently sticky or which make the composition sticky, likeoil or liquid borax or water, and in applying subsequently at thesepoints the dry solder substances which are made to stick on thesoldering material by the liquid substances which have previously beenapplied. Any solder substance which adheres to any other point than thesolder may be removed by scouring. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that the sticking of soldersubstances on the solder point can be obtained also when the liquid andthe solid non-metallic elementary substances or the admixture ofmetallic additions are applied separately. The solder substances ineither case adhere strongly so that any treatments subsequentlynecessary, for instance scouring to remove the solder in excess orcovering to protect against oxidation, will not cause dropping off ofthe solder substance. The solder substance in the joint can be removedonly by washing oil the solder material with benzine or the like.

As regards applying of the liquid substances to the material to besoldered, it may be mentioned that they can be transmitted by rubbingthe material between hands which have been moistened with these liquidsubstances. Mechanically this can be done by conducting the wire, duringthe treatment in the chain making machine, in contact with an absorbentbody impregnated with the liquid substance. Another manner consists indipping the dry solder material into these liquid substances and inthrowing oil the liquid substances by centrifugal action, so

that only a thin coating remains on the solder materia It is to beunderstood that the oil may be incorporated or not with the solderingcomposition as put up for sale and use in accordance with this newmethod; that is to say that the composition may be put upfor sale in apasty or other suitably fluent condition and containing the oil as aningredient, or that the composition may be put up for sale and use as adry powder or in other suitable dry state and the oil added at the timeof use to make it fluent, i. e., when a soldering operation is to becarried out. For economic reasons it is desirable to putup thecomposition in powder form and to add the oil at the time of use and, insoldering chain concatenationsand the like, which are coated with oilthe soldering operation is simplified and cheapened by rubbing the oilcoated rings or links with the dry solder powder, by which means thenecessity of cleaning the chain preparatory to soldering, as requiredheretofore, is obviated and the oil ingredient, in whole or in part,supplied. If, in such case, the oil on the chain is not in quantum'suificient the deficiency may be supplied by adding oil either to thechain or to the solder to be supplied thereto. This explanation ismadein order that it may be understood that the claims are held to covera method in which the solder composition used may be made and sold ineither of the stated ways and in which the oil may be incorporated atany time before or at the time of use.

I claim I 1. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links orrings of chains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in dipping aplurality of interconnected links into a fluid solder material, wherebythe links are covered with the solder material and particles of thesolder material caused to flow into the link gaps, removing from thelinks all solder material except that contained in the link gaps, A

and then subjecting the linksto the action of heat to fuse the soldermaterial in the gaps.

2. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in dipping a plurality ofinterconnected links into a fluent solder material containing oil and areducing agent, whereby the links are covered with the solder materialand particles of the solder material caused to flow into the link gaps,removing from the links all soldermaterial except that contained in-thelink gaps, and then subjecting the links to the action of heat to fusethe solder materialin the gaps and to raise the temperature at thesoldering moment through the action of the reducing agent to a degreesufiicient to effect the burning of the oil without residue.

'3. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in dipping a plurality ofinterconnected links into a fluent solder material containing oil and areducing agent so as to cause solder material to cover 3 the surfaces ofthe links and to flow over the turfaces of the links and into the linkgaps,

' removing from the links all solder material except that contained inthe link gaps, and then subjecting the links to the action of heat tofuse the solder material in the gaps and to raise the temperature at thefusing moment to a degree to effect through the action of the ring endsto be united a soldering material,

removing from the links all soldering material except that cont-ained inthe link gaps, and then subjecting the links to the action of heat tofuse the soldering material in the link gaps and to effect through theaction of the reducing agent a raising of temperature at the fusingmoment to a degree to cause the burning of the oil without residue.

5. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to theinterconnected links a fluent solder material containing oil and apowdered solder metallic substance and a reducing agent held in acarrier liquid so as to cause the solder material to flow over thesurfaces of the links and into the link gaps, removing from the linksall solder material except that contained in the link gaps, and thensubjecting the links to the action of heat to fuse the solder materialin the link gaps and through the action of said reducing agent to raisethe temperature at the soldering moment to a degree to effect theburning of the oil without residue.

6. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric,'which consists in applying to the linksurfaces and into the links gaps afluent material containing a carrierliquid and a powdered reducing agent of a character adapted to form withthe metal of the ring ends a soldering composition, removing from thelinks all of such fluent material except that contained in the linkgaps, and subjecting the links to the action of heat to effect a fusionof the solder composition and a raising of the temperature at thesoldering moment by the action of the reducing agent to a degree toeffect the eliminationof the carrier liquid without residue.

7. The method of soldering the ends of inter-connected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applytor-connected linksor rings of chains orchainmcsh fabric, which consists in forming andflowing onto the surfaces of the links and into the link gaps a fluentsolder composition containing a carrier oil, a powdered metallic soldersubstance; and red phosphorus, removing from the links all soldermaterial except that contained in the link gaps, and then subjecting thelinks to the action of heat to fuse the solder material and to raise thefusing temperature by the action of the phosphorus to a degree to causethe oil to be burned without residue. 9. The method of soldering theends of inter-connected rings or links 5f a length ofchain or chainmeshin the presence of oil, which consists in applying to the link gapssolder material and subjecting the links to the action of heat in thepresence of a reducing agent acting to raise the temperature at thesoldering points and during the soldering action to a degree suflicienttoefi'ect the fusion and union of the link ends and the burning of theoil to effect its elimination without residue.

10. The method of soldering the ends of inter-connected rings or linksof a length of chain or chainmesh, which consists in flowing a soldermaterial in fluent form over the surfaces of the links and into the linkgaps, and uniting by fusion the link ends and solder particles in thelink gaps. v

11. The method of soldering the ends of inter-connected rings or linksof a length of chain or chainmesh, which consists in flowing a soldermaterial in fluent form over the surfaces of the links and into the linkgaps, removing from the links the solder except those particlescontained in the link gaps, and fusing the link ends and solder materialin the link gaps.

12. The method of soldering the ends of inter-connected links or ringsof chains or chain mesh fabric, which consists in applying to the linksand in the link gaps a composition comprising a liquid carrier vehicleand a powdered reducing subtance held in suspension by said vehicle andforming with the metal of the link ends to be united a solderingmaterial, and subjecting the links to the action of heat to fuse saidsoldering material and the link ends and to eliminate the carriervehicle without residue.

13. The method of solderingthe ends of inter-connected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a liquid carrier vehicle and powdered red phosphorusheld in suspension by the vehicle and adapted under the action of heatto eflect a fusion and connection of the metal of the link ends, andsubjecting the ring ends to the action of heat to fuse and unite thesame and to effect a birmng of the carrier vehicle without res- 1 ue.

14:. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or ringsof chains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to thelinksand in the link gaps a carrier oil and a powdered reducing substanceheld in suspension by the oil and forming with the metal of the linkends to be united a soldering material, and then subjecting the rings tothe action of heat to fuse said soldering material and to raise thetemperature at the fusing moment to a degree to elimihate the carriervehicle. v

15. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a carrier oil and powdered red phosphorus held insuspension by the oil and forming with the metal of the ring ends to beunited a soldering material, and then subjecting the links to the actionof heat to fuse the soldering material in the gaps andto burn off theoil without residue.

16. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a liquid carrier vehicle and a non-metallic elementaryreducing substance held in suspension thereby and forming with thematerial of the ring ends to be united a soldering material, andsubjecting the links to the' action of heat to fusethe solderingmaterial .and to burn off the carrier vehicle without residue.

17. The method of-soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a carrier oil and a powdered non-metallic ele mentaryreducing substance held in suspension by the oil and forming with themetal of the ring ends to be united a soldering material, and thensubjecting the links to the action of heat to fuse the solderingmaterial and to burn off the oil without residue. 18. The method ofsoldering the ends of interconnected links or rings of chains orchainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to tlie'links andin thelink gaps a liquid carrier vehicle, a powdered non-metallic elementaryreducing substance and a powdered oxygenous reducing substance held insuspension by said vehicle and forming with the metal of the ring endsto be .united a-soldering material, and subjecting the links to theaction of heat to fuse the soldering material and burn off the carriervehicle without residue.

19. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a carrier oil and a powdered non-metallic elementaryreducing substance and a powdered oxygenous reducing substance, andsubjecting the links to the action of heat to fuse said substance andthe link ends and to burn off the oil without residue.

20. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a liquid carrier vehicle, a powdered non-metallicelementary reducing substance and a powdered oxygenous reducingsubstance held in suspension by the vehicle and forming with the metalof the ring ends to be united a soldering material, and then subjectingthe links to the action of heat to fuse the soldering material and toeliminate the carrier vehicle.

21. The method of soldering the ends of interconnected links or rings ofchains or chainmesh fabric, which consists in applying to the links andin the link gaps a carrier oil, a powdered non-metallic elementaryreducing substance, a powdered oxygenous reducing substance, and apowdered metal held in suspension by the oil and forming with the metalof the ring ends to be united'a soldering material, and then subjectingthe links to the action of heat to fuse the soldering material and burnoff the oil.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORG BRUNHllBNER.

